As governor of Illyricum and the Gallic provinces in 58 BC,
a Legio VI was one of the garrison units Julius Caesar had
at his disposal. Raised in Cisalpine Gaul in 52 BC, Caesar's
Sixth Legion served with him during his entire career as Consul
and Dictator, and was withdrawn to Hispania in 49 BC. Caesar
took Legio VI to Alexandria to settle the dispute in Egypt
between Cleopatra and Ptolemy. Alexandria was under siege
and the Legion was almost wiped out, losing almost two thirds
of its entire manpower. Caesar eventually triumphed when reinforcements
arrived and during this campaign the 6th Legion seems to have
earned the name "Ferrata" (Ironclad).
The legion was
apparently disbanded in 45 BC establishing a colony at Arelate
(Arles), but was re-formed by Lepidus the following year and
given over to Marcus Antonius the year after that. Following
the defeat of the republican generals Cassius and Brutus in
successive battles at Philippi in 42 BC a colony was again
formed from retired veterans of the 6th, at Beneventum. In
41 BC, however, some remaining members of Legio VI Ferrata
seem to have been taken by Antonius to the East.
Another Legio VI
that was originally stationed in Hispania evidently saw action
at Perusia, in central Italia, also in 41 BC. This in itself
is difficult to explain since veterans of the 6th were supposed
to have been either retired or sent east with Antonius. It
seems that Octavian had no reservations about using duplicate
legionary numerals already in use by Antonius. Antonius had
serving with him V Alaudae, VI Ferrata and X Equestris, but
Octavian's army included a V (the later Macedonica), VI Hispaniensis
(the later Victrix) and X (Fretensis). Of Octavian's
legions, V and X, and less certainly VI, used the bull-emblem
on their legionary standard, which would normally indicate
a foundation by Caesar; but the true Caesarian legions with
these numerals (Alaudae, Ferrata and Equestris) were apparently
with Antony. It seems safe to say that Octavian used some
of the retired veterans of Caesars Sixth Legion at Beneventum
to form the core of his own Sixth Legion used at Perusia.
It is very possible then that both Legio VI Hispaniensis (Victrix)
and VI Ferrata originated from Caesar's Sixth Legion.
At the battle of
Actium in 31 BC, Antonius' VI Ferrata was severely defeated
by Octavian's forces, including his version of the 6th.
Following Actium, another colony of veterans seems to have
been created at Byllis, probably together with soldiers from
other legions, and the remainder of VI Ferrata was moved to
Syria where it was to remain. At this point Legio VI Victrix,
still called Hispaniensis, seems to have been returned to
Hispania.
Hispania
Campaigns
After his victory
over Antonius, the newly appointed Augustus sent his general
Marcus Agrippa against the Cantabrian and Asturian tribes
of Spain. Between 27 and 13 BC Agrippa's campaign was
to be very costly in terms of Roman manpower. He had the use
of seven legions during these campaigns, of which only four
survived; II Augusta, IV Macedonia, VI Hispaniensis, and X
Gemini. The pacification of the Spanish tribes was complete,
however, as the strength of the resident garrison was reduced
after the Varus disaster in 9 AD, by the removal of Legio
II Augusta to Germania. Three legions were left to secure
Spain; IV Macedonica, VI Hispaniensis and X Gemina.
Little is known of the actual garrison points of the Legion
during this time but Colonia Caesarea Augusta (Zaragoza) was
probably established in 19 BC by veterans from legions IV,
VI and X. Legio VI does seem to have been based somewhere
near Asturia, prior to Nero's reign in the 60's
AD. During the reign of Nero, Legio VI was the only legion
left in Hispania and seems to have been moved to modern day
Leon. The title of "Victrix" could have been endowed
at some point during this time period. As the only active
legion in Hispania they were responsible for quelling the
entire region. They very well may have been granted the title
for exemplary service as an independent legion.
Civil War
In the summer of
68 AD, the Emperor Nero committed suicide after external pressures
that forced him to believe that his position in Rome had become
untenable. The Senate elected Sulpicius Galba to be the next
emperor; the wealthiest citizen in Rome, he had a distinguished
military and government career and was serving as governor
of Spain at the time. The seventy three year old man was proclaimed
Emperor in the base camp of Legio VI Victrix's. Galba left
Spain for Rome, with a newly raised Legio VII Galbiana, and
left VI Victrix to garrison Hispania. We know the commander
of the Legio VI Victrix at this time was called Vinius. When
Galba reached Rome, he sent VII Galbiana on to the Danube
frontier, leaving himself without local loyal troops. Unfortunately,
Galba's old-fashioned virtues of thrift and discipline sat
poorly with the Roman power culture that had so recently been
corrupted by Nero. He was assassinated by the Praetorian guard
in January of 69 AD. His only defender was a Centurion named
Sempronius Densus, who tried to hold off the revolting guardsmen
with his vitis (vine staff) before being cut to pieces.
In the ensuing
Civil War that followed, between Otho, Vitellius and the eventual
victor Vespasian, Legio VI maintained control of Hispania.
Unfortunately, the war had left the Rhine border of Germania
dangerously exposed and the Batavian tribes revolted.
Batavian
Revolt
At first, the Batavians
under a leader by name of Civilis, enjoyed some moderate success.
By 70 AD, however, the new Emperor Vespasian sent a large
expeditionary force to the north. VI Victrix was one of the
legions involved, under the command of Sextus Caelius Tuscus.
At Xanten, the Romans were victorious in a hard-fought battle,
which was commemorated in an inscription that mentions both
the new emperor and the commander, Tuscus. (The monument is
featured in the picture at the top of the page)
After the quelling
of the Batavians, VI Victrix remained along the Germanic border
and was stationed in Novaesium, modern day Neuss.
Saturninus
and Domitian
In 89 AD, Antonius
Saturninus, Roman governor of Upper Germania, led a revolt
against the Emperor Domitian. The legions of Lower Germany
remained loyal, and VI Victrix, which was at this time stationed
in Vetera near Xanten, was instrumental in the defeat of the
rebels. As a reward for this decisive action and loyalty,
VI Victrix was awarded the additonal title of Pia Fidelis
Domitiana (faithful and loyal to Domitian). With the death
of Domitian in 96 AD, the Domitiana element of the title was
dropped.
Dacian
Wars
During the Dacian
wars of the Emperor Trajan, units of VI Victrix were sent
to the Danube, which were almost unguarded as its traditional
garrisons were fighting in Dacia. One inscription suggests
that it was part of a combined force with I Minervia and X
Gemina from Bonn and Nijmegen. Vexillations (detachments)
from IX Hispania in Britain may have been sent as reinforcements
to the 6th home base camp at Vetera.
Transfer
to Britannia and Hadrian's Wall
In 122 AD Hadrian
sent Platorius Nepos, along with the 6th Legion, from Germania
to the Salway/Tyne frontier in Britannia. It seems to have
traded places with the previous occupant, Legio IX Hispana,
which was sent to the Rhine border. Favored by Vespasian for
their construction work on the Rhine frontier, Legio VI Victrix
was stationed at Eburacum (York) and was set to work immediately
on construction of Hadrian's Wall. Among its first achievements
was the construction of the Tyne Bridge at Pons Aelius (Newcastle).
While detachments
of Legio II Augusta and XX Valeria Victrix built the western
wall, Legio VI built the entire eastern portion. Additionally,
Victrix built a temple to Neptune at Newcastle. When completed,
Hadrian's Wall stretched the entire length of northern England
and served as a fortified security perimeter against northern
tribes. Manned by auxiliary troops in its several interspaced
forts, the wall was a base from which cohorts could move out
and engage enemies to the north.
Antonine
Wall
The same three
Legions, II Augusta, VI Victrix and XX Valeria VIctrix built
The Antonine Wall further north, starting about 140 AD. This
wall did not prove successful and was largely abandoned twenty
years after its construction. The wall, much smaller in size
and fortification, stretched from Edinburgh to Glasgow in
present day Scotland. At some point during or after the construction,
Legio VI, under Julius Verus, erected a dedication to Mars
Ultor (the Avenger) at Corbridge. Widespread revolt among
the Picts and Celts occurred between 155 and 158 AD, requiring
heavy fighting by the Legion. Losses were great and the Romans
were forced to abandon the wall to the better-suited Hadrian's
Wall. Reinforcements from the Germania Legions were required
to bolster the under strength British troops.
Clodius Albinus, Septimius Severus and the Caledonia
Campaigns.
In 196 AD, the
governor of Britannia, Clodius Albinus, made an attempt at
the throne. Bringing the 3 British based legions along, he
fought several engagements with the forces of Emperor Septimius
Severus. In 197 AD, Clodius was defeated decisively and the
3 legions, including Legio VI, were sent back to Britannia.
Upon its return to Eburacum, Legio VI found it overrun and
parts of Hadrian's Wall in terrible disrepair. Over
the next few years, the invaders were pushed back across the
wall and repair was completed by 205 AD.
In 208 AD, Severus
personally came to Britannia and led a campaign against the
northern Caledonian and Maetae tribes. Severus used troops
from Legio VI for these expeditions which lasted until his
death at Eburacum (York) in 211 AD. No major formation battles
were fought in these campaigns and Roman losses were very
heavy as a result, but the tribes had to yield territory and
eventually come to terms. Those tribes rose again and the
following year his successor, his son Caracalla mounted yet
another expedition which proved successful in maintaining
peace for much of the rest of the century.
At some point during
these campaigns, Legio VI was awarded the additional title
of Britannica by either Severus or Caracalla. At this point
its complete honorific name was Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis
Britannica.
Carasius,
Allectus, Constantinus Clorus and Withdrawal
A long period of
relative piece followed the Severan dynasty. Disruption of
the peace came again in 287 AD, when Carasius set himself
up as Emperor of Gaul and Britain. He was then murdered by
Allectus who in turn was defeated by Constantinus Clorus in
293 AD. He invaded Britannia from the Continent and brought
it back into the full Empire. During this civil war the northern
frontier was once again stripped of troops and overrun by
northern tribes. Legio VI Victrix returned and once more had
to rebuild their base at Eburacum and sections of Hadrian's
Wall. The situation in Britain would be stabilized again over
the next seventy years and Britain maintained a great deal
of properity.
By 367 AD, however,
Picts, Scots, and Saxons combined in an assault on Roman Britain
and once more overthrew the northern defenses. Eburacum (York)
and the Wall yet again had to be restored, for what would
be the final time. The Emperor Valentian sent his general
Theodosius with a field army strong enough to re-establish
Roman authority. Britain returned to its previous prosperity
but barbarian invasions throughout the rest of the empire
began to take its toll. Attacks from various quarters of Europe
forced the Emperor Honorius to withdraw most of the combat
troops from Britain in 403 AD, including Legio XX Valeria
Victrix. A fragment of Legio VI was left at York when Roman
rule in Britain came to an end in 410 AD to maintain a semblance
of order. The Legion was soon attacked again by the northern
tribes and asked for help from Rome, only to be told by Honorius
that no help would be coming. At this point, the history of
Legio VI Victrix was moving into its final stage and any remnants
of Legio VI that were unable to escape would've been
either killed or incorporated into the new post-Roman Britain.
400 years of Roman authority had come to an end, ushering
the dark ages into Europe.
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